Author's note: We've finally made it to the end of the story! I hope everyone enjoyed reading it. A special thank you to Shannon for beta-ing this one. I value her input and suggestions as these characters are both near and dear to our hearts.
I am going to take a break for a week or two before I start posting again. I have to finish the first story in this series so I can post that next before I start posting the next one in the series (I hope that made sense). Anyway, here is Lou's return to Rock Creek and hopefully the resolution you've been waiting for, or at least a good segue into the next story. Happy reading!
Chapter 12
Buck and Jimmy sighed in relief when they saw the town of Rock Creek finally appear on the horizon. It was mid-afternoon when they finally spied the way station positioned at the far end of town. On the typical Thursday afternoon, Teaspoon would likely be at the marshal's office or somewhere in town, while Rachel was probably finished at the school and had returned to the station to start supper for the riders. Riding into the station, Jimmy and Buck heard the familiar call, "Rider coming!" that was usually heard when someone was spotted nearby. Drawing closer to the bunkhouse, Jimmy saw Cody and Noah standing on the porch along with Rachel, who came running from her house. Her face was a mixture of hope and worry, especially when she realized Jimmy and Buck had arrived alone.
"Didn't think you'd be back so soon," Noah commented.
"Jimmy, Buck, where's Kid and Lou?" Rachel asked, unable to contain her fear.
"You did find them, didn't you?" Cody asked worriedly, looking between the two riders.
"Actually, they found us," Buck replied. Dismounting off his horse, he started leading the stallion to the barn to brush him down after riding so hard for so many days.
"Well, if you found them, where are they?" Noah asked, glancing out over the horizon to see if they were on their way.
"They're coming," Jimmy replied, climbing down from Sundancer's back. Taking his horse's reins, he headed in the same direction as Buck. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed Rachel, Noah, and Cody following closely behind him.
"When?" Rachel asked.
"Probably sometime later today. I would think they'll be here by supper. Buck and I figured we would ride ahead to make sure the replacement riders had cleared out before Kid gets back here with Lou," Jimmy explained.
"Why would that matter?" Cody asked, looking between Noah and Rachel in confusion.
"You'll understand when they get here," Buck replied, adding, "Where are the replacement riders anyway?"
"Teaspoon was sure you'd be back today or tomorrow and with the schedule being as light as it is, he sent them back to their home stations this morning," Noah shared.
"Jimmy, how did Lou look?" Rachel asked, concerned for her friend.
"Different," he replied, loosening the strap to Sundancer's saddle. "She looked fine, but Kid said she hit her head when she was thrown and it's making her tired and sick. You can ask her about it when they get here."
Rachel nodded distractedly, wondering how badly Lou was injured. She knew in the past the female rider tended to downplay any injuries she received so the boys wouldn't think any less of her. Thinking to herself, she knew she needed to get the young woman alone sometime to find out what had really happened out near the Cottonwood station. Turning from the boys in the barn, she headed back to the house, knowing she needed to adjust the amounts of food for supper tonight with the addition of four more riders.
As Jimmy and Buck tended to their horses, Cody and Noah were eager to hear how their fellow riders had fared during their time away, especially Lou since she had been gone the longest. It had been two and a half weeks since she had last been at the station, with part of the time believed to be missing. They were all worried about her and now that they had confirmation that she was alright and on her way home, both Cody and Noah breathed a sigh of relief. "So they'll really be back today?" Cody asked.
"That's what I said, Cody," Jimmy said.
"Why didn't you ride with them the rest of the way?" Noah asked, thinking the excuse about the replacement riders was pretty flimsy. He figured there was some other reason.
"They were probably bothering Jimmy with their night time activities," Cody suggested, jokingly, eliciting a laugh from Noah.
"For your information," Jimmy said tersely, "Lou is looking more like the woman she is and less like the boy she pretends to be. Buck and I didn't think it right to expose her secret to outsiders." Turning back to his horse, he tried to ignore the other two riders while he finished.
"And if you must know, Cody," Buck added, trading a brief look of unease with Jimmy, "We decided to stay in a hotel both nights instead of making camp. None of us wanted to sleep on the hard ground another night, so we opted to ride into town to find rooms." Having finished unsaddling his horse, he began brushing the animal down for the night. Before they reached Rock Creek, both Buck and Jimmy had agreed to keep the details of their journey to themselves, allowing Kid and Lou the freedom to share as much or as little as they wanted with the rest of the riders. They had been pretty quiet on the trip home, preferring to talk to each other atop Katy instead of with either one of their friends. It was almost as if they were in their own little world and were trying to preserve that sphere as long as they could. Recognizing their need for privacy, Jimmy and Buck had decided to ride on ahead to warn the others of their arrival while giving the couple the last few hours alone together before life intruded on their relationship once again. Working side by side, the two riders continued settling their horses for the night before heading to the bunkhouse to clean up and relax before supper.
Walking home from his office, Teaspoon was relieved to see Jimmy's palomino and Buck's dark stallion prancing around the corral. Looking around he searched for the familiar paint mare, sighing when he didn't see any sign of Katy or her owner anywhere. Climbing the bunkhouse steps, he crossed the porch and opened the door, seeing Rachel setting the table for supper. Quickly glancing at the plates set out along the worn wood table, he counted nine places. Eyeing Rachel curiously, he asked, "Are we expecting company tonight, Rachel?"
Turning from her place at the window, her face erupted in a grin as she nodded, saying, "Jimmy says Kid'll be here with Lou sometime tonight, probably before supper. He and Buck rode ahead to let us know. Wanted to have the replacement riders cleared out before they got here."
"We did that already, but why was that so important," Teaspoon asked, curiously.
"They didn't say, but I suspect Louise must be dressed like a woman and not like a boy. It's the only thing I can think of that they wouldn't be able to hide from outsiders," Rachel replied. "Besides, you know how protective those boys are of Louise. They would never give the company cause to fire her, especially not because she's a girl."
"I know. You're probably right. It'd be mighty hard to explain to those other riders why one of ours was wearing a dress," Teaspoon said with a grin.
"Supper's almost ready, Teaspoon. You wanna get the boys? I think I saw them out by the barn last I looked."
"Sure thing, Rachel. Did Jimmy or Buck say anything else about Lou?" he asked as he opened the door, stopping to look at her. While he hid it well, the station master had been worried about the fate of his female rider from the moment Cody burst through the bunkhouse door nearly two weeks ago.
"No, nothing else. Said she had hit her head and was feeling dizzy and sick because of it, but nothing else," Rachel replied, turning to carve the turkey she had roasted for supper this evening. Hearing the closing of the door, she was soon alone once again in the bunkhouse. The mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, and carrots were ready to be set out on the table. While she waited for the boys to gather for supper, she set to work slicing the bird up for their meal. Minutes later, Rachel heard footsteps on the porch and was expecting to see the door swing open but it never came. Looking out the window, she noticed the riders and Teaspoon had turned their attention to the horizon where the sun was setting. Inky black against the fiery sunset, she noticed a lone horse walking slowly closer to the station carrying two riders. Dropping her knife and fork with a clatter, Rachel ran to join the others on the porch.
The waystation was growing closer as Kid guided a walking Katy into the place they called home. Looking closely at the bunkhouse, he could just make out his fellow riders along with Teaspoon and Rachel waiting anxiously to welcome them back. Gently nudging Lou, who was dozing in his arms after her early morning start and long day in the saddle, he pointed to their makeshift family, saying, "Looks like everyone turned out to welcome you home."
Lou sat up slightly, squinting to see who was standing around the station, breathing a sigh of relief when she recognized all the faces she saw there. "Looks like the replacement riders are gone," she said, adding, "Do you think they had supper yet?"
"If I know Rachel, she probably wouldn't let them eat until we got home."
"Probably," Lou agreed with a laugh, knowing that sounded exactly like Rachel.
"You ready for this?" Kid asked as they drew closer to the station.
"Not really, but I am happy to be home," she said with a sigh.
"We best not keep them waiting any longer. I'm sure they're all anxious to hear what happened, especially Teaspoon and Rachel, and to see you again," he said. Shortly after, the paint mare entered the station yard, carrying with her the last members of their family.
"Kid, Lou!" Rachel shouted, happy to see the riders safely back home, "We're all so glad to have you back home!"
"Did you have a good ride?" Teaspoon asked, looking between his two riders. Both looked tired and dirty, but Lou looked like she could barely stay awake. He passed a look to Rachel, darting his eyes to Lou once he got the station mistress's attention. Rachel followed his eyes with her own, really noticing the exhaustion that seemed to overwhelm the female rider. She knew Kid wouldn't have risked bringing Lou home yet if he thought she wasn't ready for it, so Rachel figured something had to be amiss here.
Reaching the hitching post in front of the station, Kid swung his leg over Katy's back, landing firmly on the ground. He lifted his hands up to help ease Lou to the ground, keeping his arm around her waist in support as they walked over to the porch. Helping her up, Kid led her over to Rachel, watching as the two women hugged each other in greeting.
"How are you?"Rachel whispered in the younger woman's ear.
"I'm fine, Rachel. Just tired," Lou said as the station mistress released her, passing her over to Teaspoon who proceeded to hug her close.
"Don't scare us like that again, darlin'," Teaspoon gently admonished. "I don't think Kid could take anymore adventures like this," he added, teasing the pair. Lou smiled at the older man, reaching back for Kid's hand. She was relieved to feel his familiar hand enveloping her own as they stood together on the porch surrounded by family.
"Rachel, I thought supper was ready?" Cody asked, now that everyone was home for the night.
"Why don't we take care of Katy for you?" Noah offered, reaching for her reins.
Buck was stepping off the porch to help, when Kid dropped Lou's hand and ran to gather his saddlebags and bedroll from Katy's saddle. "Thanks, Noah, Buck. We should probably get washed up before supper," he said, rejoining Lou on the porch. He took her hand in his once again and ushered her into the bunkhouse, heading straight for her bunk. Slipping behind the curtain there, he laid the saddlebags and bedroll on her bed, telling her, "Why don't you take your things out in here so the boys won't see? Can you store the hide and blanket in your trunk for a while?"
"Yeah, they'll fit in there," she said, slumping onto her bed. She slowly pulled her nightgown and soap from his saddlebags, placing them on her lap. Looking down at her hands, Lou could feel her eyelids growing heavy and a familiar stinging began in her eyes.
Kid grabbed the saddlebags from the bed, preparing to leave her for a while in her bunk, when he noticed the change in her demeanor. She had been happy to be back, but now, she looked like she was upset about something. Squatting in front of her, he reached a hand up under her chin, tipping it up so he could see her brown eyes. Tears were pooling in her chocolatey depths as she watched him. Brushing them off her cheeks, he whispered, "What's wrong?" He didn't want the rest of the bunkhouse to hear them in here.
"I don't know, Kid. I'm happy to be home, but…" Lou started to say.
"But what?" he prompted, taking her hand in his, rubbing small circles on the back with his thumb.
"But I don't want to sleep here alone tonight," she said dejectedly.
"Do you really think I'll stay in my own bunk tonight?" he asked her, his blue eyes twinkling with his love for her. "As soon as the boys are asleep, I'll be in here."
"Alright," she whispered, swiping the tears off her face. Lou leaned forward placing a kiss on Kid's lips before standing. Moving around her small alcove, she grabbed her towel and bar of lavender soap along with her long johns and headed out to the shower. Kid trailed behind her, dropping his saddlebags on the top bunk. He was eager to shower and change into clean clothes as well, but knew Lou needed to go first so she could eat and get to bed.
Outside her sleeping alcove, Teaspoon, Jimmy, and Cody had entered the bunkhouse, moving to take their places at the table. Rachel had returned to her task of carving the turkey, relief present on her features from the knowledge that Lou was once again home safely. Despite her appearance, or rather because of it, Rachel had a sneaking suspicion that Lou was hiding something about her injury. Sighing as she finished with the turkey, Rachel carried the platter over to the table, looking around her at the men gathered there. They had all changed so much in the year since she had arrived at the way station in Sweetwater. They had still been boys when she met them, but over the course of the year, they had all grown into men. All except Louise. She still seemed to struggle at times to figure out who she really was. Masquerading around as a boy all the time certainly played a part in her confusion. But when she rode in tonight dressed in that deerskin dress and looking very much like the woman she was, the discomfort she usually saw in her eyes when she was attired as such was gone. Maybe some good came out of her stay with the Lakota after all, Rachel mused to herself. Her eyes caught a familiar pair of blue eyes looking back at her from across the room as she placed the platter on the table. "Supper's ready, boys, although I think we should wait for Louise to eat, don't you?" she asked pointedly, knowing the men gathered around her wouldn't say no to her request.
Knowing that supper was still at least a few minutes away, Kid headed back to his bunk to unpack the rest of his saddlebags. Stowing the pouch in his trunk, he gathered his towels and clean long johns and was about to head to the door to wait on the porch until Lou was finished with her shower. Ignoring the loud discussion commencing around him, Kid slipped from the room, closing the door behind him. Walking over to the end of the porch, he sat down on the worn wood floor, his feet kicking the dirt below. Removing the towel and clothes from his shoulder, he deposited them onto the nearby bench, turning his attention to the sunset off on the horizon. Thinking back to their last night with the Lakota, Kid smiled as he remembered their swim on the creek, the way Lou seemed to glow beneath the blazing sun as it threw its warming rays along the soft rippling water. He thought of the way her eyes filled with love as Sitting Bull blessed their union, the sunset vivid in the background. Then he remembered Eyota's vision that Lou had shared with him in bits and pieces, finally revealing her last prophecy about the many Weayaya they would be blessed with. The old woman had always behaved oddly whenever he or Lou were around, and her blessing on the two of them as they said their goodbyes three days ago made him wonder. So much had happened while they were with the Lakota, Kid wondered how much of their experience Lou would want to share with the rest of their express family.
So lost in his thoughts about the last week alone with Lou, Kid was unaware that someone had joined him until he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Anything you wanna talk about, Kid?" Rachel asked softly, thankful for a few moments away from the rest of the boys in the bunkhouse.
Kid knew he had to tread carefully until Lou had a chance to speak with Rachel later. They had discussed how much they wanted to share when they returned, although they had never come to any real conclusions. Looking over at the kind station mistress, Kid smiled, saying,"I'm just happy to be home, Rachel."
"Lou must be as well," she commented, trying to get the sandy-haired young man to open up to her. She knew he would eventually, as long as he was ready to share. This time, judging by the firm set of his jaw, she wasn't so sure he would confide in her. Rachel knew how much he loved Lou, they all did, but there seemed to be something else now that they were back, something she couldn't put her finger on.
"Yeah, I guess so," Kid half-heartedly agreed. He knew Lou was having mixed feelings on being back and if he admitted it to himself, he was too. Having spent the last week with her all alone, living as man and wife, he didn't know how to go back to the way things were.
"Something troubling you?" she asked, softly.
"I'm not sure where to start, Rachel," he began. "The last week has been so different, I'm not sure of a lot of things now."
"Like what?"
"Like how we're supposed to be now that we're home," he confessed, trying hard not to give too much away.
"I'm not sure what you're getting at, Kid," Rachel said. She thought things had changed between them after Fort Kearney, but she suspected things had changed once again. "Is everything alright between you and Lou?" she asked, turning her green eyes to his blue ones.
"Things are great, Rachel, but I don't know how much longer I can keep going like this," he said, dropping his head into his hands.
"How does Lou feel about all this?" she asked, running her palm along his strong back.
"I think she feels the same way," he admitted, dragging his hands down his face and dropping them onto his knees. "No, I know she feels the same way."
"Then maybe it's time to do something about it," she suggested, smiling. Rachel had a pretty good idea where the young man beside her was heading with this. If they had spent the last week together without any interference from the boys and with Lou looking and acting more like a woman, Kid was less than eager to return to their old ways and even less enthusiastic about having to treat Louise like his brother.
"What do you mean, Rachel?" Kid asked, looking over at her.
"I think you know what I mean, Kid," she replied with a knowing look. Hearing sounds from around the corner, she suspected Lou had finished her shower and was heading back this way. "Sounds like Louise is finished. Think about what I said, you'll know what to do," she said, patting his hand as she rose from her perch and headed back into the bunkhouse just in time for Lou to appear around the corner.
"Hey," the petite rider called as she noticed Kid waiting for her on the porch.
Looking up at her wet hair and tired expression, Kid said, "Hey," using their familiar greeting.
"Whatcha doing here?" she asked softly, hoping he had been waiting for her. "I thought you'd be inside with everyone else eating supper."
"I thought I'd wait for you out here," he said, gathering his bathing supplies from the bench. "Besides, I wanted to wash up before supper."
"You want me to wait for you?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest to hide what lay beneath her long john top. Despite not having worn a corset for more than two weeks, her breasts were still hurting like she had worn one continuously since the ball. Wearing the coarse fabric of her long johns wasn't helping matters either. She longed for the softness of the nightgown Kid had bought her in Cedar Ridge, knowing she really couldn't wear that in the bunkhouse, at least not while the boys were awake.
"You don't have to," Kid said gently, reaching out to play with her wet hair.
"I know, but I don't want to go in there yet either."
Leaning over to drop a kiss on her lips, he said, "Alright, I'll be quick." Turning from her, he sprinted off to the shower that the riders had built under Teaspoon's supervision in the back of the house. Watching him disappear around the corner she had just come from, Lou tiredly sat down onto the edge of the porch, occupying the same spot Kid had just vacated. She leaned back against the wall of the bunkhouse, closing her eyes as she awaited his return. Haphazardly folding her towel, Lou held it along with her deerskin dress gently against her middle, hoping she could steal a few minutes alone without anyone from inside the bunkhouse coming to bother her. As she waited, she could feel her body relaxing as the powerful allure of sleep threatened to overcome her.
What felt like only moments later, Lou became aware of strong arms slipping beneath her and carrying her over to the bunkhouse door. Snuggling closer to the comforting body holding her, Lou allowed herself to be carried into the bunkhouse and carefully laid onto a bed before a light blanket was pulled over her sleeping form.
Kid, having finished his shower in record time, quickly dressed and headed back around to the porch, eager to see Lou again. Turning the corner, he noticed she had fallen asleep, propped against the bunkhouse wall. Her delicate features softened with sleep, he stopped, his breath caught in his chest as he was struck by how beautiful she was at that moment. Not wanting to wake her, he threw his towel over his shoulder and reached down, to slip his arms beneath her. Carefully lifting her against his chest, Kid climbed onto the porch, clearing the few steps to the door in moments. Pushing the door open, he eased into the room, noticing the room falling silent as the rest of the riders noticed the woman he carried in his arms. Crossing the room, he slowly laid her on his bunk, covering her with a blanket so he could keep an eye on her while they ate. While he hated for her to miss supper, she was clearly exhausted and needed to sleep first. He and Rachel could make up a plate for her for later. Dropping their towels and her dress on the top bunk, Kid made his way over to the table, settling himself on the end of the bench closest to where Lou slept in his bunk.
The rest of the riders, Teaspoon, Rachel, and Jesse had all gathered at the table awaiting Kid and Lou so they could finally eat supper. They were more than a little surprised to see Kid enter carrying a sleeping Lou over to his bunk, the seriousness of her situation finally registering on their faces. While Kid had seen fit to bring her home now, Lou clearly was far from recovered from her injuries if she was sleeping at this early hour. Having taken a seat next to Teaspoon, Kid looked around at all the faces now staring at him, waiting for an answer to some question he hadn't heard. "Something wrong?" Kid asked, trying to pretend his carrying Lou around was normal.
"Anything you want to tell us about Lou there, Kid," Teaspoon asked.
"Like what?" Kid asked, wanting to wait until Lou was with him to answer any questions.
"Oh, like why you brought her inside just now while she was sound asleep?" Teaspoon asked pointedly, looking at his southern rider.
From the other end of the table, Rachel could see the interrogation was bothering the young man. Quietly, she clarified, "I think what Teaspoon wants to know, what we all want to know, is how bad is she? I thought she would've been recovered by now."
"The healer in the village said she hit her head pretty hard and was unconscious for more than two days," Kid explained, figuring sticking to the basics about her injury was the best way to proceed for now. "Lou's been dizzy and nauseous while we've been there and sleeping a lot more. We're hoping that now she's home, she'll start feeling better."
Seeing the faces of his fellow riders relax upon hearing his assessment of Lou's situation, they all began turning their attention to the food waiting on the table. While Lou and Kid had been showering, Rachel had quickly reheated most of the dishes, so the food was once again hot. "Well, maybe we should start eating. Kid, should we wake Louise up for supper?" Rachel suggested.
Kid thought for a moment, weighing the consequences of not waking her up. He thought if she didn't eat, she would be more likely to feel sick when she did wake. Thinking better of it, he rose from the table, walking over to her still form curled under the blanket in his bunk. Sitting down gently on the mattress, he pulled the blanket back leaning closer to whisper to her. "Lou, honey, you have to wake up. Everyone's waiting for you for supper," Kid said, running his fingers along her cheek hoping the sensation would wake her up.
Her eyes fluttered open, looking around trying to determine where she was and how she got here. "Kid, where am I?" she asked, her brow wrinkling in confusion. The last thing she remembered was waiting for him on the porch.
"You're in my bunk, Lou. You fell asleep outside. When I came back from my shower, I found you asleep on the porch. I carried you in here," he whispered, trying to keep his voice below the sounds coming from the table. He smiled when he felt her small hand slipping into his, bringing it to rest on her chest. Seeing where she had left their hands, Kid felt his face coloring remembering that they weren't alone.
Looking around again, she finally recognized her surroundings. With that realization, Lou released his hand and tried to sit up. Placing her hand on her stomach, she felt a rumble and let out a small laugh. "I guess I should eat if that loud grumble was any indication," she said, pulling her legs from beneath the blanket and swinging them over the side of the bed. Too tired to care that she was wearing only her long johns, she padded over to the table, Kid right by her side. Sitting on the bench next to Jimmy, Lou watched as Kid returned to his seat, sitting right next to her. She yawned, struggling to keep her eyes open. Beside her Jimmy handed her the bowl of mashed potatoes so she could start filling her plate.
The rest of the riders paused in their meal, watching to see for themselves how their girl rider was faring. Rachel was the first to break the silence, asking, "Louise, how're you feeling? Sounds like that was quite an adventure you had. You wanna tell us about it?"
"Just tired, Rachel. My head doesn't hurt anymore, but Eyota told me it would be normal to still be tired for a few weeks," Lou replied, taking a small slice of turkey from the platter. After the last few weeks of not being able to tolerate any meat, she was wary of taking too much tonight. It would be harder for Kid to eat what she didn't with everyone watching them.
"Who's Eyota?" Noah asked from across the table.
"She was the old healer in the Lakota village. She and her daughter, Magaskawee, are the healers for the village," Lou said, pouring gravy on her potatoes and turkey. Taking a bite of the potatoes, she closed her eyes, thoroughly enjoying the taste of the food in her mouth. This was so much better than all that buffalo and pemmican, she thought as she ate.
Beside her, Kid was watching her devour the mashed potatoes on her plate much as she had in their hotel room in Cedar Ridge. Leaning over, he whispered into her ear, "Enjoying those?" She turned her twinkling eyes his way, communicating with her eyes that she was glad to be back for Rachel's cooking. Smiling at her, he turned back to the conversation at the table.
"So, Lou, you wanna tell us about your trip and your stay with the Lakota?" Teaspoon asked, stating the question that everyone at the table, except Kid, was eager to hear the answer to.
Looking around at all the eyes boring into her, Lou nodded her head, saying, "Sure, but can I eat first?"
"Why don't you start at the beginning when you rescued that girl?" Teaspoon said, "And since we know most of that from Cody here's description, you can eat while you talk."
"Alright. So Cody and I had decided to stop for a rest since it was awful hot that day. We found a creek and went to water the horses and cool off before we went to Cottonwood to change mounts. We had been there for a few minutes when I heard screaming coming from somewhere downstream. Cody heard it too," she said darting an irritated glare his way, before continuing, "but was sitting with his feet in the creek. I jumped on my mount and ran off to see if I could help." Looking down at her plate, she mumbled, "The men there were gonna do terrible things to the young Lakota girl. When I got there, one was holding her arms behind her back and pulling at her dress while another...was… I can't."
"It's alright, Louise, I think we all understand," Rachel offered from the other end of the table. She knew this had to be hard for her to talk about, especially given her own history.
Eating another mouthful of potatoes, Lou felt Kid's hand resting on her lower back in support while she continued her story. "Anyway, the leader told me to leave, unless I wanted to join in. But I couldn't leave her there with those five men, so I ran at them, trying to get them to leave her alone. I managed to shoot two of them and kicked another before I turned my gun at the one holding the girl. He pulled a gun and shot me before I could react. The force of it threw me from the saddle where I landed in the creek and hit my head. The last man was on me with his hands on my neck and pushed me under when I blacked out."
"And Cody didn't come to help?" Jesse asked, not having heard the blonde rider's full version he had shared with the rest of the riders late that night after he returned without Lou.
"Jesse, I really don't know. When I woke up it was two nights later and I was in a tipi. There was no sign of Cody or my horse or anything else," Lou said, omitting the part about waking up completely naked.
"So what happened next, Lou?" Buck asked from Rachel's side.
"When I woke up, Eyota and Magaskawee had taken me into their care. It was Magaskawee's sister who had been in the river with those men. She saved my life, Cody's too, when the braves appeared and finished off the rest of the outlaws, or at least that's what they told me. Eyota made me wait until the next day before I could get out of bed," Lou said, pausing to eat more of her supper.
"So what did you do for more than a week with the Lakota," Jimmy asked from her side. He, along with the other riders, were curious as to what she could have been doing there for so long.
"I spent most of my days out in the prairie and woods foraging with the other women," she shared. "There were three girls there who helped me learn some Lakota while I helped them with English," she added with a smile. Beside her, Kid smiled as he remembered the three young girls and their fondness for his Lou.
"Anything else?" Jimmy asked. He was sure something else had to have happened once Kid had arrived if his slip at the hotel two nights ago was any indication.
"Magaskawee did tell me that her husband had left to find my people and would bring them back to the village to take me home," Lou shared laughing. "I had no idea how he was going to manage that one, but sure enough, Curly showed up a few days later with Kid. Magaskawee told me he had recognized me and so had followed Cody back to Rock Creek. If I had known she was married to Curly, I would have known better."
"I thought I saw someone outside that night," Buck said, looking at Kid as the southerner shrugged his shoulders.
"And after Teaspoon and I both told you to stay put," Rachel admonished the sandy-haired rider.
"No, you said I could go if I was sure I would find her. Curly was pretty convincing since he told me she had been brought to his village," Kid said defensively.
"So that's it?" Jimmy asked, not convinced that she had shared her entire tale.
"Well, there may have been some disagreement with one of the braves there, but Kid and I were able to put a stop to that. A few days later we found Jimmy and Buck camping out by the creek and left the next day," she said, trying to leave out the part about her and Kid's Lakota marriage ceremony.
"What kind of disagreement with a brave?" Buck asked, wondering what could have happened.
Sighing, Lou knew she was going to have to elaborate on that. Inwardly cursing herself for letting that slip, she glanced over at Kid, silently asking how much she should share with their express family. He shrugged his shoulders, indicating she could share as much or as little as she wanted. Looking back at Buck, she said, "A few days after I got there, I noticed that a few of the braves were acting strange. They were always showing up when I was out with the women and they were leaving gifts outside the tipi. When I asked Magaskawee about it, she finally told me the chief had allowed them to compete for my hand."
Her announcement drew a gasp from Rachel and elicited shocked looks from the rest of the men around her. Kid simply sat next to her, placing his hand on her thigh under the table as his blue eyes connected with her brown ones.
"One of the braves wanted to marry you?" Rachel asked, incredulously.
"Actually there were four of them. Magaskawee told me they were so impressed with my actions at the creek that they thought I would make a good wife," Lou explained. "Luckily Kid and Curly showed up in time and were able to set things right," she added cryptically.
"So you were able to convince them not to ask for your hand?" Rachel asked, happy that her friend had returned to Rock Creek unmarried.
"Kid helped me," Lou replied, finishing her supper. Laying her fork down on her now empty plate, she added, "This was delicious, Rachel," changing the subject.
Rachel watched her carefully, knowing there was more to this. But, she also understood that she and Kid didn't want everyone to know whatever transpired between them and the braves back at the village. Deciding to help Lou out, she said, "You'll be pleased to know that Jesse has been anxiously awaiting your return so you can help him with his book."
"Did you finish the chapters you were supposed to, Jesse," Lou asked the younger boy across the table from Kid.
"I read most of them, but some of them don't make any sense. And it still hasn't gotten better," he grumbled.
"Have you met Charles Darnay or Sydney Carton yet?" Lou asked.
"The Darnay guy, yeah, but not Carton."
"Then you need to read tonight to get caught up. We can talk about it tomorrow once you finish," Lou gently scolded. Turning to Rachel, she asked, "You want help with the dishes tonight?"
Smiling at the young woman, Rachel, replied, "I'd love it. We'll shoo these boys out of the bunkhouse while we work since they have animals to tend to in the barn."
With supper concluded, the riders, minus Lou and Kid, exited the bunkhouse in order to finish their chores in the barn. Kid walked over to his bunk, pulled some clothes on over his long johns and followed the rest of his friends. Pausing at the door, he glanced at Lou, hoping she would come out once she and Rachel were finished. Lou nodded slightly, letting him know she would find him later.
With everyone else gone, Teaspoon excused himself to return to town to make the rounds and take care of some things at his office before he would return for the night. Just before leaving, the station master said, "It's good to have you back, Louise." He was thankful beyond words to have her safely back at home where the rest of the riders could look after her once again. Closing the door behind him, Teaspoon crossed the station yard and headed back to the marshal's office for the evening.
Finally free of their male companions, Rachel moved closer to where Lou still sat on the bench, sitting next to the young woman. "Now that they're gone, how are you really doing?" she asked, her concern written all over her face.
"Rachel, I'm fine, really," Lou said, hoping to convince her friend of her health. She crossed her arms over her chest, wincing slightly at the pressure against her sore breasts. Her grimace, no matter how fleeting, did not go unnoticed by Rachel.
Taking in Lou's defensive posture, Rachel decided to try another direction. "Why don't we get these dishes cleaned up and then we can go over to my porch for a while and talk?" Standing from her seat, Lou nodded and began clearing the plates the other riders had left at the table. Bringing everything over to the wash basin. Lou stood by as Rachel pumped water into the tub, scraping some soap flakes into the water before setting to work on washing the plates. Lou grabbed the small pot of hot water that Rachel had left on the stove to heat during their meal, and poured some of the water into the soapy basin. Soon the two women fell into a rhythm washing and drying everything from their evening meal. Once they were finished, Rachel helped Lou return everything to their proper places in the bunkhouse. Their task complete, Lou slipped her feet into her moccasins, grabbed the Indian blanket off her bed, wrapped it around herself, and followed Rachel out of the bunkhouse. She saw Kid waiting outside and walked over to him, saying, "I'm gonna go sit with Rachel for a while. I'll be back soon." Reaching up on her toes, she kissed his cheek and scurried off to find her friend. She knew she had a lot to share with her before heading to bed for the night and she hoped Rachel would continue to be her ally in everything.
The two women settled comfortably on the two rocking chairs Rachel kept on her porch. Lou kicked off her moccasins, preferring to let her bare feet gently sweep the porch floor as she rocked. Despite the heat, she tried to keep the blanket wrapped around her, but soon she grew uncomfortably hot and threw the woolen blanket off her body. The two women rocked in silence for a few minutes, watching the sun send its final rays over the horizon, the glowing orb having already dipped below the horizon. Night was quickly descending and looking out in the twilight sky, Lou could see stars beginning their faint twinkling. "As happy as I am to be home, I'm gonna miss seeing the stars at night through the tipi before I fall asleep each night," Lou remarked softly.
"Well, we still got stars out here and I'm sure a certain man over there would be more than happy to come outside with you to watch them," Rachel gently teased.
"I'm sure he would," Lou said with a dreamy smile, thinking back to their nights alone at the Lakota camp.
"I know that smile, Louise. What are you thinking about?" Rachel encouraged. She was hoping Lou would open up to her now that they were alone and away from eavesdropping ears.
"I was thinking about the last few nights Kid and I spent together," Lou said, a blush creeping up her cheeks as her thoughts turned more improper.
"I can just imagine," Rachel said. "I remember nights like this I spent with Henry, and the trouble we would get into," she added, a suggestive smile spreading across her face at the memories.
From her chair, Lou soon shared a similar smile before the two of them giggled. "The thing is, I'm gonna miss that now that we're home," Lou said, a hint of melancholy in her voice. "It was nice getting to be a woman for a while, Rachel. But now that we're back, I'm not so sure I want to go back to being Lou anymore. I'm tired of having to hide. Besides, the whole reason I started dressing like a boy, well, he's dead. And now…" she trailed off, thinking about how much she wanted to reveal. Rachel looked over at her, silently encouraging her to continue. "Now, I feel caught. I like my job and I like doing it. But I also...I don't want to hide anymore. There's no way I can keep riding and be a woman."
"How does Kid feel about all this? Have you told him how you feel?" Rachel asked softly.
"We talked about it a lot while we were away. He said he's happy just being with me but I know he wants more. I'm just not sure what I want to do," Lou said, nervously chewing her thumbnail.
"Did he tell you what he wants?"
Nodding her head, Lou said, "I know what he wants and, truthfully, I want that too, but it scares me to think about everything I'd be giving up. He says I don't have to give up anything, but his wife can't still ride for the express."
"No, probably not. Once you walk down that aisle, the whole town will know your secret. But, I'm sure you've heard the rumors that the express will be shutting down soon. Every one of the riders will be out of a job, Kid included," Rachel said. She understood where Lou was coming from and knew how hard it could be to surrender yourself to another person. But she also knew that something fantastic grew from that surrender, the unconditional love of another person to share your life with.
"Yeah, Kid mentioned that, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't heard the same rumors as well. Looks like no matter what, things are gonna change in the next few months whether we want them to or not."
"You're probably right," Rachel agreed. "So how are you really feeling, now that the boys and Teaspoon are gone?" she asked, changing the subject back to her time with the Lakota.
"Like I said earlier, I'm just really tired and my stomach acts up sometimes from hitting my head," Lou shared, knowing that neither was caused by her head injury.
"And does your head still hurt?" Rachel asked.
"Huh-uh. In fact it hasn't hurt since the first day after I woke up. I was a little dizzy for a few days, but that seemed to have passed."
Rachel grew suspicious when Lou said her head no longer caused her any discomfort. From everyone she knew who had head injuries, they always had headaches along with the other symptoms. Treading carefully, she asked, "Are you sure there isn't another reason for your tiredness and nausea?" She watched as Lou visibly stiffened at her question.
"What do you mean, Rachel?" Lou asked nervously. She crossed her arms over her chest, a sure sign to Rachel that her defenses were going up.
"I think you know what I mean, Louise," she whispered, seeing the young woman's face turn an ashen color, a tear slipping down her cheek.
Lou swiped it away with nervousness. "Oh, Rachel," she said before dissolving into tears.
"How long have you known?" she asked quietly in case any of the boys happened to be around.
"Eyota and Magaskawee told me before Kid got there. I didn't think it was possible after what happened with Wicks, but they both assured me it was true."
"Does Kid know?"
Lou shook her head gently. "Not really. I told him it might be possible, but I can't have him find out yet. You know how protective he gets. If he knew, he'd never let me out of his sight," she pleaded. "I'm just not ready for him to know yet. Not until I figure a few things out first."
"You won't be able to keep it hidden forever, you know. Eventually, he will notice the changes to your body," Rachel warned. "Do you want this?" she asked, wondering if Lou was afraid of becoming a mother.
"Of course. When Magaskawee told me about Eyota's vision and about, you know, I was so happy. I'm still happy, but it complicates things a bit. I told Kid I would see a doctor if things continued, but I assured him that it was probably just from the long run and being hurt," Lou said, her face beaming with happiness over her news. Her hand instinctively travelled to the spot where her child grew, resting there protectively.
"Why won't you tell him? Aside from his overwhelming need to protect you."
"We both know he'll do the proper thing and insist we get married," Lou said sadly. "I don't want to be an obligation. I want him to choose me." Looking down at her lap, she pulled her hand away from her stomach to rest on her lap. As she sat there pondering her options, a soft smile appeared on her face.
"What is that smile for, Louise?" Rachel asked. The girl was still hiding something from her "Does this have to do with anything that happened while you were away?"
Pausing to look around to make sure none of the boys had wandered over to where they now sat, Lou started, "Mmm-hmm. So I told you at supper that I had some trouble with one of the braves and that Kid and I were able to convince him otherwise." Seeing Rachel's head nod, she dropped her gaze to where her hands now lay in her lap before continuing, "But I left out that when Kid arrived to the village, I had somehow gotten myself betrothed to that brave. He tricked me into accepting a marriage proposal, not that I knew that it was a proposal," she paused to glance over at her friend, adding, "I had no idea until the brave caught me with Kid. They started fighting and Sitting Bull came over to break up the fight. He said Kid and Matoskah, that's the brave's name, would fight for my hand. Kid was perfectly willing to do that, but I couldn't let him. I told the chief I would marry Matoskah as long as he promised me Kid would remain unharmed. The wedding was set for the next day."
"What!" Rachel fairly shouted, causing Lou to shush her. The last thing she needed was for the boys to come running over here. "Please tell me you didn't marry this brave."
"No, I didn't. But…" Lou paused, looking around the yard again for any sign of the boys.
"But what, Louise?" Rachel demanded.
"I married Kid," she whispered. "Course it's not legal here, but we were married by the chief the next day. I'm not sure exactly how that happened, but I think Eyota had something to do with it."
"You two actually got married," Rachel asked, trying to understand everything the young woman was telling her.
"Yeah, we did. Sitting Bull blessed our union then left us alone for a few days to celebrate," she said sheepishly. Lou was sure Rachel could figure out the rest.
"Unbelievable," Rachel muttered. She resumed rocking in her chair, the sound of the porch creaking under the motion filling the silence.
"Rachel, you can't tell no one. We don't want the boys to find out, especially since it ain't legal here," Lou pleaded.
"Well, you know Teaspoon could take care of that," she said with a devious smile. "Of course you would have to want this marriage."
"Rachel, of course I do. That's why it's been so hard coming back. We were happy there. And now, it's back to reality and me back to being Lou McCloud, pony express rider, instead of Louise McCloud, wife."
"Well if you both wanted this to happen there, I'm sure Kid is thinking about how to make it more permanent. Just give him some time," Rachel suggested, thinking back to her earlier conversation with Kid on the bunkhouse porch.
"I don't know, Rachel. I sure hope so, but you know Kid. He likes to be overcautious sometimes. And I don't really have the time for that right now."
"No, that you definitely don't."
"I might need your help for a few weeks," Lou said. "I need to keep my nausea under control so I stop getting sick."
"You just tell me what makes you feel sick and I will try my best to avoid it for a while," Rachel said. "But you will need to tell him, and soon. Don't you think he has the right to know?"
"He does. And I want to tell him, I do. But not until he proposes again."
"Alright," Rachel said resignedly, giving her tacit agreement in this whole matter, "In the meantime, anything that you can't eat right now?"
"Coffee was bothering my stomach before I left on this run and again in the hotels the last two days. Pemmican was the worst and buffalo meat was a close second. In fact most meat doesn't agree with me right now," Lou explained.
"The turkey tonight seemed to agree with you," Rachel noticed.
"Yeah, that was fine. I've been keeping some bread with me at night to eat before breakfast, so I'll probably keep doing that since it's been helping."
"I left the extra biscuits on the counter in the bunkhouse, grab some before you turn in. Do you want me to talk to Teaspoon about keeping you off the schedule for a few days? We can blame it on your head, say you still don't feel well enough yet. And I could probably get him to schedule you for a short run or two to ease you back into rides," Rachel suggested.
"That's probably a good idea, but only for a few days. If it's any longer, the boys might get suspicious," Lou said. She looked over at the bunkhouse to see lights were appearing in the windows, indicating the boys had finished in the barn and were turning in for the night. She watched as Kid appeared on the porch, trying his best not to crowd her. He knew she liked her time with Rachel, and that they were probably talking about him anyway. Seeing him standing there, Lou waved him over, watching as he stepped down off the porch and meandered over to where she sat.
"Evening, Rachel," he said, resting his forearms on the railing.
"Beautiful night, Kid," Rachel said, looking between the two young people.
"It sure is," the southerner agreed. He kept looking back at Lou, who sat rocking in her chair, a serene look upon her face.
"Ready to turn in?" she asked, smiling softly at him.
"Yeah, the boys were all heading in, probably gonna play some cards before going to bed," he said. He wanted to know if she was coming, but didn't want to ask her.
"Well, as long as they keep it down, they can stay up as late as they want," she said, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders and standing from her chair. "It was nice talking with you Rachel," she added, before stepping off the porch, her hand finding Kid's and slipping within his hold. "Good night, Rachel," Lou called, turning to look back at her friend.
The golden haired woman waved them off, saying, "Good night, you two." She sat on her porch for a few more minutes, watching as the young couple stepped onto the porch and disappeared from view.
Stopping on the porch before heading into the cacophony of the bunkhouse, Kid pulled Lou close to him, asking, "You ready for bed? How you holding up?"
"Kid, I'm fine. But, yes, I'm ready for bed," she whispered.
"If they stay up late, I'm not sure how I'll stay awake until they're all asleep," Kid admitted, stifling his own yawn. After riding for three long days, he was tired and ready for more than a few hours of solid sleep.
Looking up through her lashes at him, Lou said, "Why don't you give me a few minutes to get ready for bed and then you can come in and we can talk for a while. And if we decide to fall asleep while they're still up…" she shrugged her shoulders as if that would make no difference to her.
"Are you sure? They might get the wrong idea," Kid said. No matter what, he refused to let any of their brothers say anything bad about her.
"Kid, I think they already have the wrong idea. And is it really the wrong idea if it's true? I don't care anymore. I want to spend the night with my…" she said, pausing as the door was flung open and Jimmy's head popped out.
"Are you two coming in or are you gonna sleep on the porch tonight?" he asked, looking between his two best friends. They seemed to be discussing something and he was getting tired of keeping Cody away from the windows.
Kid looked over Lou's head at Jimmy, saying, "Yeah, we're coming in." Placing his arm across her shoulders, Kid steered her back into the bunkhouse.
"'Bout time you two," called Noah. "Cody here was trying to catch you out there."
"Catch us out there?" Lou asked. "Catch us out there doing what? Talking? Looking at stars?" She kept her eyes trained on the blonde rider, waiting for him to confess what he expected them to be doing on the porch, knowing exactly what he was hoping for. Seeing his panicked expression, Lou laughed, adding, "You don't honestly think we would do that on the porch in the middle of town, do you?" Turning to Kid, she said, "C'mon, Kid. Let's go to bed." Pulling him with her, she walked directly into her sleeping alcove and closed the curtain behind them.
"What did you do?" he whispered to her in the darkness of her bunk.
"Shhh," she hissed. "Listen."
Standing there in the dark, Kid noticed that the bunkhouse grew oddly silent following their departure. Lou watched him standing there concentrating on the actions of their brothers on the other side of the curtain. While he was preoccupied, she slipped out of her long johns, choosing instead to wear the soft cool nightgown he had purchased for her two nights ago. Pulling the heavy quilt from her bed, she slipped between the sheets, whispering, "Come to bed, Kid." Looking over at her, sitting up in the bed, her petite form no longer wearing the boyish long johns, Kid removed his shirt and pants before pulling his long john shirt over his head. Clad only in his underwear, he joined her in her small bunk, breathing a sigh of relief when he felt her familiar form nestled close to him, his arms around her once again.
In the dark, they could hear the random comments from the main room of the bunk house.
"Did she really bring him in there?"
"How long do you think he'll stay?"
"Wonder what they're doing in there?"
"You don't think they're…"
In unison, Kid and Lou shouted, "No!" to the last comment. Laughing when they heard Noah smacking Cody on the chest for even considering such a thing. Soon the boys were settled around the table, the sounds of shuffling cards resonating through the small house.
Turning back to each other, Kid whispered, "Are you sure you're alright with this?"
"Why wouldn't I be alright with this?" Lou asked, adding, "After all you are my husband, aren't you?"
"Yeah, but we're not with the Lakota anymore. I don't think Teaspoon or Rachel would agree with this," Kid whispered in her ear.
"Oh, I don't know. Rachel'll be alright with it," Lou said, hinting at some of her conversation with the woman from earlier.
Tightening his hold on her, Kid asked, "And how do you know she'll understand?"
"Because I told her about our wedding," Lou whispered, shifting around in his arms so she could face him.
"You did? I thought we weren't going to tell anyone?"
"Don't worry, Rachel won't tell anyone else. I've sworn her to secrecy."
"What if I want to tell someone?" Kid asked, bringing his lips to gently touch hers.
"We can tell everyone if you want, but I thought we wanted to keep it to ourselves, at least for a little while?"
"I like having secrets from the boys," Kid admitted, "Especially when they involve you and me. I don't like them prying into our business."
"Which is something they love to do," Lou agreed, tilting her face up to kiss him.
They lay silently for a few minutes, their eyes closed and their hands gently tracing the planes of the other's body. A warm breeze blew through the open window, fluttering the curtains. On the small bunk, Kid held Lou safely in his arms, happy in the knowledge that they were finally home once again.
"Hey, Kid?" Lou whispered.
"Hmmm."
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Lou."
Slowly her breathing evened out until Kid realized she had fallen asleep. He could feel her soft breath tickling the hairs on his chest and the soft weight of her head on his shoulder. Closing his eyes, he thought about everything that had happened over the past few days. Curly's last words to him ran through his mind, Kid reminded himself to talk to Teaspoon tomorrow about scheduling him and Lou on the next double run. He wanted to take her out like a real couple and since they obviously couldn't do that in Rock Creek, they would have to wait until there was another special run. Running his hand along her spine, Kid thought about the day she would become his wife in truth and hoped that when he proposed again, she would finally accept him. Holding her closely to him, Kid finally allowed his tired body to drift off to sleep.